Banjo-neck-adjusting means



May 29. 1928. 7 1,671,942

' c. H. STRUPE BANJO NECK ADJUSTING MEANS Filed Sept. 24, 1926 15 12 i J J 3 1NVENTOR. v 0601'! HJZmpe,

ATTORNEYS Patented May 29, 1928.

'UN ITE D' STATES 1,571,942 PATENT OFFICE.

CECIL H. STRUPEOE INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO LEEDY MANUFACTUR- G COMPANY OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA.

BANJO-NECK-AD-TUSTING M EANS.

Application filed September 24, 1926. Serial No. 137,472.

7 My invention relates to improvements in banjos and particularly to'means forregulatingtheactionthereof. V

More specifically my invention relates to means for shifting the end of the neck of the banjo to cause the same to lie in different planes relatively to the plane of the head whereby thedistance between the strings and the frets is varied. I

For the purpose of disclosing my invention I have illustrated Certain embodiments thereof in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a banjo embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in section, showing the action regulating means;

Fig. 3 is of Fig. 2;

Fig. 1 is a detail section showing a modification of my invention, and

Fig. 5 is an end view thereof.

In the embodiment illustrated I provide the cylindrical shell 1 which may be of sheet metal and is at its upper and lower ends spun or rolled over to form beads 2 extending within the shell. l Vithin the shell between the beads and abutting against the shell 1 is arranged a wooden band 3. The shell is provided with the usual heads,'fiesh rings and tension adjusting means therefor (not illustrated however in Fig. 2). ithin the shell is mounted a cross bar 4 one end of which (not shown) is firmly attached to the wooden band or shell and the other end 5 of which is adapted to project through the shell and have secured thereto the neck 6 of the banjo. tion the end of the neck is bored out to form an opening 7 which fits over a shoulder 8 on the end of the brace 4. This shoulder is sufiiciently wide to make a comparatively snug fit in the bore but is flattened at its top and bottom to provide a clearance between it and the walls of the bore. A dowel pin 9 is secured in the brace 4 and has an extended end 10 projecting in the bore 7 and extending transversely through the neck and 'the'dowel pin 9 is a rocking pin 11 which not only serves to hold the neck against longitudinal movement but also provides a pivot point on which the neck may be rocked. Extending upwardly from thebottom of the neck is an adjusting screw 12 a detail section on the line 3-3 For securing the neck in posi passing through a nut 13 preferablv seated in the wood of the neck. The upper end of this screw bears against the forward end of the dowel pin 9. By this arrangement the adjustment of the screw up or down will cause the neck to rock on the pin 11 and thereby change the plane of the outer end of the neck so that the clearance of the strings from the frets or fret board of the neck may be regulated.

In Figs. 1 and 5 I have illustrated a modification of the invention illustrated in Fig. 2 wherein I provide a mounting pin 14 which takes into the recess 7 in the neck in the same manner as the pin ,9 and is secured I to the neck by the transversely rocking pin 15 similar to the rocking pin 11. The neck is adjusted by means of an adjusting screw 16 similar to the, adjusting screw 12. In this form however the pin 14 is secured directly to the shell and to this end the base of the pin 14: is provided with a squared portion 17 fitting in a squared opening in the shell and this base is provided with a plurality of cars 18 fitting flatly against the inner face of the shell and secured thereto by suitable screws passing through screw openings 19 and into the shell.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a banjo, the combination with a shell, of a cross brace projecting beyond the I shell mounted Within said shell, an extension for said cross brace, a neck having a socket receiving said extension and pivotally connected thereto and means for rocking said neck on said pivot for raising or lowering the outer end of the neck to'thereby raise or lower the strings of the banjo with rela tion to the fret board of the neck.

2. In a banjo, the combination with a shell, of a cross brace mounted within said shell, a neck, an extension of said cross brace projecting into said neck, a transverse pin passing through said neck and extension forming a pivot member for the neck and an adjusting screw extending through the neck at an angle to the plane of the pin and engaging the end of said extension.

3. In a banjo, the combination with a shell, of a cross brace mounted therein, a dowel pin mounted in said cross brace, a neck having a recess for the reception of the opposite end of said dowel pin, a transverse ly extending pivot pin extending through said neck and dowel pin and an adjusting screw in said neck at an angleto said dowel pin and bearing upon the end of the dowel I pin projectinginto the neck.

A .4; Inca banjo the combination with a shell, of a neck and means for securing-the neck to the shell including a projecting pin mounted on the shell and extending into a socketed recess in the neck, a transversely extending rocking pinpassing through the neck and projecting pin, and means for rockingsaid neck on said rocking pin.

In a banjo the cornbiiiation with a shelh'olt' a neck and. means for connecting rockingipin passing through said '-neck and projection and a set screw in said neck edapted tdeng age said projection beyond said pin for rocking the neck on said pin.

" 111 Witness whereofll CECIL H. STRUPE,

ha he eunt set my hand at Ind n p Indiana, this 20th day o f September, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and twenty-six.

GEGILL Hi- STRUPE- 

